Appointment-announcer.



vS. R. SCHAFF. APPOINTMENT'ANNOUNCER, APPLICATION'FILED Dias. 1914.

Patented' Apr. 27, 1.915.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APP OINTMENT-ANNOUNCER.

Application led December 8, 1914.

T0 all whom it may concern yBe it known that I, SCHUYLER R. SCHAFF, a Citizen of the United States, and resident of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Appointment-Announcers, of which the following is a specification.

l This invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus designed to call attention to the arrival of a predetermined time by giving a signal and to exhibit, if desired, memoranda indicating or reminding a personof the character of the appointment to be kept or the wo'rk to be done at that time.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a suitable member adapted toadvance either continuously or intermittently at a uniform rate and adapted to receive the desired memoranda, and means for operating a signal upon the arrival of the portion of the number bearing the memoranda at a predetermined point along its path of travel.

In the preferred embodiment, I employ a strip of paper of suflicient width to permit the names of persons, places or events, or other memoranda serving as a reminder in regard to appointments or the like, or other matters to be written, stamped, or otherwise applied thereto, and this strip is of such y length that a time period of considerable length, such for instance as a week, is required for it to pass through the machine. 'lhe paper is marked to indicate the subdivisions of time, such as days, hours, and, if desired, minutes, and the mechanism for advancing the paper is 'such that each indicated time on the strip arrives at a predetermined point in its path of travel at that time. Means are provided for perforating, embossing, or otherwise affecting the character or contour of the paper opposite the memoranda written thereon, and suitable alarm or signaling mechanism is employed so that the arrival of that `portion of the paper at a predetermined point will cause the operating of the signal. i Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings showing certain forms which myunvention may assume and in which similar reference characters indicate correspondlng parts in the several views.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a device constructed in accordance with my invention;

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Apu. 2'?, Illll.

Serial No. 876,029.

Fig. 2 is a top plan'view thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; lFig. 4t is a perspective view of an alternative form and Fig. 5 is a detail of a slight modiication of the construction shown in Fig. 4:

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I employ a casing including Va suitable plat- `form or .base 10, side walls 11 and 12 and a ltop wall 13. 'Ihis top wall serves as a sup- 4'16 and delivers the paper through a slot to the upper surface of the casing top 13. An

Aend wall 17 adjacent to the roll may be hinged or otherwise secured in place so as to permit it to be readily lifted and a fresh roll inserted whenever desired. At the opposite end of the casing is a drum 18 which engages with the paper to advance the latter as the drum rotates. A small friction roller may bind the paper to the surface of the roll at one point so as to produce this result, or

the paper may have a series of perforations 19 adapted to receive teeth, pins or spurs 20 on the periphery of the `drum. Various means may be employed for rotating this drum at a very slow rate of speed. As shown, the drum is keyed to a shaft 21 having one end projecting through the end wall 12-of the casing and provided with a suitable handle or handwheel 22. At the other end a worm wheel 23 is connected to the shaft by a clutch 24. A drive `shaft 25 has a worm 26 engaging with the -Worm wheel. Any suitable source of power may be employed and properl governed for rotating the shaft 25 at the esired speed. Thls may l be in the form of a .small electric -or fluidl operated motor or an electric clock, but as shown, I employ a spring motor in the form of a clock 27, which latter may have the'ordinary hands and dial for indicating time or may comprise-nothing more than an escapement-eontrolled spring motor.

As previously indicated, he character of the motor, the size of the drum and the character of the' driving connections are so proportioned to the spacingof the indications of time on the strip 14 that these indications in passing a predetermined, stationary point will correspond to the time of day., in addition to or independent of the indication given by the hands and dial of the clock and therefore the latter may be omitted if desired.

For operating the signal or alarm at the predetermined time, I provide in the specific form shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, a small paper perforator 29 in the form of a spring pressed punch which may be depressed and cut from the paper a small piece, either at the extreme margin, or at any desired distance therefrom. As shown, the punch operates at a slight distance .from the edge of the paper and serves to form a round hole 30. Within/ the case and so positioned that it may enter the hole 30 as the latter reaches a predetermined point 82 on one of the two guides 28, beneath Which the edo'es of the paper pass, there is mounted a circuit closing member 31 in the form of a piece of spring metal. circuit closing member may rise as the hole reaches the point 32 and in rising may come in contact With the other terminal. The ringing of the bell as a result of the closing of the circuit will attract attention to the device and upon examining it, the memoranda on the paper, opposite to the hole 30, which caused the closing of the circuit, will remind the person as to the particular appointment that is to be kept at that particular time.

It is evident that a person may use the device for'only his appointments or that a large number of people in an office may all use the same device and the latter may be in charge of one employee, such for instance as an office boy or telephone girl, Whose duty it will be to advise other employees of the arrival of the time at which they are to be notified and to remind them of the memoranda which had been placed on the paper strip opposite thepredetermined time. v

As shown, a portion uofthe paper covering a time interval of several hours is eX-V 50" posed so that anyone glancing at the strip may see ahead as to what has been set down for the next few hours thereafter. If it is desired to mark on the strip memoranda in regard to matters several days ahead or on a portion of the paper not directly opposite they perforator, the paper may be readily advanced independently Iof the clock Work. To permit this, I provide means for disengagmg the worm wheel and drum so that the latter may be turned independently of the Worm Wheel and therefore independently of the clock Work or other driving mechanism. As shown, I employ a clutch 24 which is normally in operatlve position, but which may be drawn to inoperative position by a The chanical means.

mama? suitable handle 36. With the clutch out, the drum may be freely rotated by the handle 22 and the strip of paper advanced or Vreturned as desired. rl`o prevent the ringing of the alarm or signal at such times, I may provide any suitable means for breaking the electric circuit and this means may be directly connected to the clutch so that When the latter is out the circuit will be broken. I haveshown merely a simple form of knife switch 37 on the side of the casing Which is to be operated independently of the clutch.

'Ihe paper may be rewound in the proper coiled form, after the paper has been advanced to Write memoranda thereon, and the returning of the paper-to its proper position'in respect to the driving mechanism may be readily secured by bringing the time indication on the strip, corresponding to` the correct time of day, opposite to the point 38. Accuracy may be secured by making the clutch 24 in the form of a onetooth clutch With accurately fitting or beveled engaging parts so that if an attempt be made to return the clutch to operative position when the strip is a slight distance from the correct position, the error Will be corrected and the parts brought to proper registry.

In the specific form above described, l employ an electric bell and a circuit closer, but it is of course evident that this is not essential as other forms of signaling or alarm mechanism may be employed. Under some circumstances, lr might employ a visi` ble signal instead of an audible one and this mightbe in the form of an electric light or in the form of van arm or pointer raised or moved to indicatingpositioni at theproper time.

To avoid all complication and objections which might arise through the use of electricjcurrent, vstorage batteries and thel like, and .which mi ht interfere with the free transporting o the devices'from one point to another about the office, I may employ a signaling device operated solely by me- In Fig. .4, I have shown a cam Wheel 40 supported on one side Wall of the casing vand normally tending to lrotate in one directionby means of a spring 41. A bell 42 may have a pivoted striker 43 with one end in the path of the cam so that as the vcam rotates the striker Will be intermittently raised and then permitted to strike the bell. For controlling the rotation of the cam, I may provide a small bell crank lever 44 pivoted to the casing and having one arm 45 resting upon or contacting With the paper in the path of the'perforations 30u in the latter and having the other arm 46 in the path of certain studs, pins or stops on the hub of the cam vvheel.

As shown, I, provide stops 47 and 48,-both of which may be duplicated around the hub.

\ niemeer The stops are so positioned that the cam is normally prevented from rotating by the engagement of one of the stops 47 With the arm 46 of the lever. As a perforation in the paper reaches the arm of the lever, the end of the latter is permitted to drop into the perforation and the otherarm 46 of the lever will swing out of the path of the stop 47, and into the path of a stop 48. The stops are spaced circumferentially so as to permit the cam to rotate a limited distance under the iniuence of the spring. This rotation should be suflicient to permit the striker 43 to drop off a cam projection and sound the signal. As soon as the perforation passes the arm 45, the arm 46 is moved out of the path of the stops 48 and into the pat-h of the next of the stops 47 and the cam rotates to lift the striker. Tf it is desired to repeat the.

signal several times there need be only one stop 47 and one stop 48, but a plurality of gong lever operating projections are employed as shown. Tf only a single gong lever operating projection be formed on the cam then thererwould only be a vsingle stop' 47 and a single stop 48.

l have shown the lever arm 45 provided with a roller which may enter a perforation 30a of the paper, but it,4 is of course evident that the end of the lever may be formed in any other desired manner so as to accomplish the desired result. ln F ig. 4, I have shown the gong operating mechanism spaced at some distance'from the drum 18 Whereas in Fig. 5 l have shown the drum provided with an annular groove 50 adaptedto come directly beneath the perforations and the bell crank lever is shown as resting upon the paper directly over the groove.

Tnstead of having a paper perforator directly on and forming a part of the machine, it is of course evident that an ordinary punch, of the character commonly used on the market, might be supplied separatelyvfrom the device and used independently thereof.

Instead of perforating the paper to secure the operating of the signaling mechanism, it is evident that l might, as previously stated emboss the paper so that the crease, groove, depression or projection might operate the circuit closing or other alarm controlling. mechanism. instead ofperforating, cutting or embossing the paper, small tabs or otherl mechanism. Other changes and variations might be made Within the scope of my invention as described in the appended claims.

ln the specific form illustrated in the drawings, I have shown the supply of paper in the form of a roll of such size as Will provide fora considerable length of time. lt is of course evident that the paper might be in separate strips each of a length sucient for one week and it is also evident that the roller 15` may be entirely o1nitted.` The paper might be drawn through one supply basket and delivered through the machine into a receiving basket. This would facilitate the picking up of the paper and Writing thereon at any point along the length and Without releasing the clutch or rotating the drum. 1t is also evident that in addition to the roll shown, a separate roll may be employed upon which the paper will vvind after being used.

Although T have described the clutch as serving to Jfacilitate the advancing or returning of the paper to permit the Writing thereon, it is evident that this clutch may be used only for securing the proper adjustment of the machine. Thus, a hole may be punched in the paperopposite the time of day on the strip opposite that shown by the clock and the clutch may then be released and the drum rotated to bring this perforation up to the alarm operating mechanism. The paper Will then be in proper adjustment in respect to the clock and the driving mechanism. The device, as shown, is adapted to rest directly upon a table or desk, but it is of course evident that the character of the supportingmeans forms no part .of my invention and that the side or bottom of the casing may be provided With brackets to facilitate the securing of the device directly to the Wall of the room or to any other support.

Having thus described my invention, What 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letf ters Patent is:

LA device of the character described, in-

cluding a strip of paper or the like marked- 2. A device of the character described,VV

comprising a strip of paper sub-divided to indicate successive intervals ofvtime and adaptedl to have memoranda Written or printed thereon Within said subdivisions, means for advancing' said strip at a substantially uniform rate, an alarm mecha'- nism, meansl for varying thecharacter of the strip opposite the memoranda thereon,

vand means for operating said alarm mechanism upon the arrival of said memoranda bearing portion at a predetermined point in its path of travel.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a strip of paper sub-divided to indicate successive intervals of time and adapted to have memoranda concerning events to take place at or following particular predetermined times written or printed' thereon, means for perforating the strip opposite such memoranda, means for advancing said strip, and means for sounding an alarm upon the arrival of the perforation at a predetermined point in its path of travel.

et. A device of the character described, comprising a strip of paper sub-divided to indicate successive intervals of time and adapted to have memoranda concerningI events tc take place at or following particular predetermined times written or printed thereon, means for perfcrating the strip opposite such memoranda, means for advancing said strip, an alarm mechanism, and means for operating said mechanism, said means being controlled by the movement of said perforation at a predetermined point in its path of travel.

5. A device of the character described,

comprising a strip of paper sub-divided to Y controller.

events to take place at or following particular predetermined times written or printed lthereon, means for advancing said strip at between, an alarm mechanism, a member for controlling said alarm mechanism and means for perforating said paper at a point at any desired distance in advance of said member, said member being movable to operative and inoperative positions as a perforation in said strip passes said controlling member. i 8. A device of the character described, including a casing having a top wall, a drum within said casing for engaging with a strip of paper and advancing the latter across the top of the casing at a substantially uniform rate, said top serving to support said strip while memoranda is being written or printed thereon, means for altering the character of the paper at a point bearing a predetermined relationship to the point at which said'memoranda is applied to the strip, and a signaling mechanism operated upon the arrival of said portion of altered character at a predetermined point in its path.

Signed at Louisville, in the county of J ef- `ferson and State of Kentucky this 3rd day of `Witnesses:

ETHEL LANE, BENL F. GARDNER. 

